How a Happy Gut Will Make for a Happier You
If you’ve used the phrase “I feel it in my gut,” then you know the importance of your inner workings. You may not know it intellectually, or be aware of the recent scientific connections between your digestive tract and your brain, but you know it on a gut level.
Jokes aside, your gut is incredibly important to your overall health. This includes your brain, mood, and sense of wellbeing. What you eat, how it affects the bacteria in your intestines, and how this produces more neurotransmitters are all connected. We’re here to explain that connection and help you feel better!
After learning how your gut and brain are linked, make sure to check out our unrivaled selection of probiotics and organic intestinal supplements.
Your Body’s Second Brain
Your gut is packed with nerves, neurons, and neurotransmitters. In fact, the enteric nervous system (ENS for short) is located there. The ENS sends and receives electric and chemical impulses from the central nervous system (CNS). This is where the “second brain” expression comes from.
Your ENS and CNS constantly communicate. Think about the often-mythologized “butterflies” you get in your stomach when publicly speaking. That is an example of CNS affecting ENS, but the opposite can happen too. Unbalanced gut bacteria can lead to your brain getting stress or irritation signals from your gut.
So, the physical health of your gut quite literally affects the mental health of your mind.
Healthy Gut = More Serotonin
One of the ways that a happy gut can lead to a happy mind is through the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin carries signals between your nerves and is one of the most important neurotransmitters involved with happiness.
None of this is news. We’ve known about the link between serotonin and depression for decades. What you probably don’t know, though, is that between 80 and 90% of your body’s serotonin is produced in your gut.
That’s right, your brain doesn’t hold the monopoly on creating serotonin.
Another cool fact? It looks like your gut bacteria can impact your body’s creation of serotonin. A healthy gut means more serotonin, which, in turn, means a happier you. It’s science.
Probiotics and Prebiotics
So how do we help our guts create more serotonin? How do we set our stomachs up for optimal performance? With a little help from probiotics and prebiotics.
Probiotics are dietary supplements rich in healthy bacteria. Prebiotics are what probiotic bacteria eat. Of course, that is a vast oversimplification, but it gets the point across. Want to have a healthier gut? Then start taking pro- and prebiotics.
Two of the most important probiotics you can take areLactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. These are both the product of fermentation, where microorganisms begin to break down food (mainly carbs) to its organic compounds. These organic compounds are easier for our bodies to digest and help with gut health.
If you want a healthier gut, increased serotonin, and an overall healthier body and mind, then it is time to start shopping at The Natural. Not only do we have free shipping on many orders, and a lot more deals, but our selection of organic probiotics is unmatched. Check out our selection of natural probiotics today.